Minions & Despicable Me
It is the one category in the shop where you cannot pick the wrong thing. And there is a reason for that.
Techbox, Thessaloniki
Why you cannot go wrong
In every other theme in the shop there is a question that has to be answered before you buy: which character do they want, and which version of them? With Minions there is not.
Minions were designed to be deliberately almost identical. That is not carelessness – it is the idea: a crowd of yellow creatures that look and behave the same.
The result for a buyer is unusual: a child does not love one particular Minion. They love Minions.
Whatever you choose is right – and that is true almost nowhere else.
It is the category we point people to when they are buying a gift and know almost nothing about the child.
Who is who – the eye test
If the child does have a favourite, they are told apart by two things: how many eyes they have, and what they are holding.
The tall one, with two eyes and a tuft of hair. The most responsible of the group – usually the one who takes charge.
Medium height, with one eye. The rebellious one – plays guitar and bores easily.
The short one, with two eyes of different colours and a teddy bear under his arm. The one younger children ask for.
With braces and one eye. The most recent, from the newer films.
The former villain with the long nose and the scarf. Their boss.
Margo, Edith and Agnes – the youngest, with the unicorn.
The quick test at the shelf: one eye or two. It is the first thing anyone who knows them notices.
The films in order
The confusion is understandable: there are two film series in the same universe.
The main series – "Despicable Me"
Follows Gru. It began in 2010 and the fourth film arrived in 2024.
The "Minions" spin-offs
These star the Minions themselves. The first in 2015, the second in 2022, and the third has just arrived.
Together the franchise has passed five billion dollars worldwide – one of the most successful in animation. Behind it is Illumination, the same studio as the Super Mario film.
The new film – and why you do not need to have seen the others
"Minions & Monsters" – July 2026
The third Minions film and the seventh across the franchise. Directed by Pierre Coffin – the same man who has voiced them since 2010.
It is set in 1920s Hollywood and follows an entirely different tribe of Minions – not the ones who serve Gru.
In practice that means it stands alone. A child who has seen none of the earlier films can watch it comfortably and miss nothing.
The next Illumination film is expected around the middle of 2027.
What age it is for
Plenty of animated series look like they are for children and are not. Here the opposite is true.
The humour is physical – falls, mishaps, gibberish. There is nothing problematic in it and no second layer aimed at adults. It is one of the safest choices in the shop, from a very young age.
The only practical note: for toys with small parts, check the age marking on the packaging.
What to choose
- Plush: the strongest line – from keyring size to large huggable ones.
- Figures & Funko POP: Minions, Gru, Agnes.
- School gear: pencil cases, backpacks, bottles, notebooks.
- Apparel: t-shirts and pyjamas, for children and adults.
- Puzzles & toys: for younger ages.
- Gifts: mugs, keyrings, posters, party supplies.
If you are hesitating: a Minion plush. There is no size to get wrong, no version to confuse, and it works at any age.
Same audience: Shrek, SpongeBob and Looney Tunes.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to know which Minion they want?
- No. Minions were designed to be deliberately almost identical, and children love Minions – not one particular one. Whatever you choose is right.
- How do you tell them apart?
- Mainly by whether they have one eye or two. Kevin is tall with two eyes, Stuart medium with one, Bob short with two and a teddy bear, and Otto has braces.
- Which is the Minion with the teddy bear?
- Bob. He is usually the one younger children ask for.
- What order do the films go in?
- There are two series: "Despicable Me" follows Gru (2010, with a fourth film in 2024), and the "Minions" spin-offs star the creatures themselves (2015, 2022 and the new one in 2026).
- Do I need to have seen the earlier films for the new one?
- No. "Minions & Monsters" from July 2026 stands alone – it is set in 1920s Hollywood with a different tribe of Minions.
- What age is it for?
- From a very young age. The humour is physical with nothing problematic in it – one of the safest choices. For toys with small parts, check the marking on the packaging.
